American Indian languages
Indian tribes
American Indian art
Native American Facts For Kids was written for young people learning about the Illinis for school or home-schooling reports. We encourage students
and teachers to look through our main Illini website for more in-depth information
about the tribe, but here are our answers to the questions we are most often asked by children, with
Illini pictures and links we believe are suitable for all ages.
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Illini Tribe
How do you pronounce "Illini?" What does it mean?
Illini is pronounced "ih-LIE-nee," and Illinois is pronounced
"ih-lih-NOY" (like the state, which is named after the tribe.) They are both European adaptations of the Illinois Indians' original word for themselves, Illiniwek
(pronounced "ih-lih-new-eck,") which means "the best people."
Where do the Illinois Indians live?
The Illini were
original inhabitants of modern-day Illinois,
Indiana,
Missouri, and
Iowa. The Illini tribe was nearly
wiped out by war in the 1700's, and the survivors had to move to Kansas and Oklahoma. The Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma is made
up of Illinois Indians.
How is the Illini Indian nation organized?
The Peoria tribe of Oklahoma has its own government, laws, police, and services, just like a small country. However, the Peorias
are also US citizens and must obey American law.
In the past, each Illini village had its own chief and was independent of the others. Illini chiefs made joint decisions in long councils. Today, the Peoria tribe is governed
by a council of elected officials.
What language do the Illinois Indians speak?
Illinois Indian people speak English today. In the past, the Illini spoke their native Miami-Illinois language.
It has this long name because two tribes,
the Miami and Illini tribes, spoke the same language
with different accents--just like Americans and Canadians both speak English.
The Illinois Indian language is not spoken anymore.
However, the Miami and Peoria tribes are working together to teach their children the language again.
If you'd like to know a few easy Illinois words,
aya (pronounced ah-yah) means "hello" and niihka (pronounced nee-ka) means "friend."
You can also see a Miami-Illinois picture glossary here.
What was Illini culture like in the past? What is it like now?
Here is the homepage of the Peoria tribe, where you can learn about the Illini people
past and present.
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How do Illini Indian children live, and what did they do in the past?
They
do the same things all children do--play with each other, go to school and help around the house. In the past, Indian kids had more chores
and less time to play, just like colonial children. But Illini children did have toys and games, like child-sized bows
and arrows and corn husk dolls. Illini teenagers also liked to play lacrosse and other sports. As for babies, Illini mothers, like many
Native Americans, traditionally carried their infants in
cradleboards on their backs. Here is a website with Indian cradleboard pictures.
What were Illini homes like in the past?
The Illinis didn't live in tepees. They lived in villages of large rectangular houses with walls
made of woven reeds. Today, Native Americans only build a reed house for fun or to connect
with their heritage, not for shelter. Illinois Indians live in modern houses and apartment buildings, just like you.
What was Illini clothing like? Did they wear feather headdresses and face paint?
Illini women wore skirts with leggings, and men wore
breechclouts.
The Illinis wore shirts in cool weather, but even in wintertime, Illini men didn't wear long pants. Illinois Indians also wore
moccasins on their feet.
Here are some photographs and links about different types of Indian clothing.
The Illini didn't wear headdresses like the
Sioux tribes. Sometimes they wore a beaded headband with a few colored feathers
in it. Illini women usually wore their hair in long braids. Illini men often
shaved their heads in the Mohawk style and wore a
porcupine roach. (These roaches are made of
porcupine hair, not their sharp quills!)
The Illini painted their faces for different occasions, and also tattooed themselves
with more permanent designs.
Today, some Illinois Indian people still have a traditional headband or moccasins, but they wear modern clothes like jeans instead
of breechcloths... and they only wear feathers in their hair on special occasions like a dance.
What was Illini transportation like in the days before cars? Did they paddle canoes?
Yes, the Illini made dugout canoes by hollowing out large trees.
Here is a website of Indian canoe pictures.
Over land, the Illini used dogs as pack animals. (There were no horses in North America
until colonists brought them over from Europe.)
The dogs carried backpacks or pulled wooden drag sleds called travois.
Today, of course, Illinois Indian people also use cars...
and non-native people also use canoes.
What was Illini food like in the days before supermarkets?
The Illini were farming people. The women did most of the farming, harvesting corn, beans, and squash. Illini men hunted deer,
wild turkeys, and small game. Sometimes they would also have large communal buffalo hunts. Several Illini villages would get together and use a ring of fire
to herd buffalo towards a group of hunters. Illini Indian food included soup, cornbread, and stews. Here is a website with more information
about the food of Native Americans.
What were Illini Indian weapons, tools and artifacts like?
Illini hunters and warriors used bows and arrows, spears, and clubs. Illini men would also use shields of buffalo hide to deflect enemy arrows.
Here is a website with pictures and information about Indian war weapons.
What are Illini art and crafts like?
The Illini tribe was known for their Native American quillwork,
beadwork, and embroidery. Peoria Indians in Oklahoma
still make beautiful beadwork today.
What other Native Americans did the Illini tribe interact with?
The Illinis traded with all the other tribes of the Great Lakes region, and sometimes with tribes who lived further away.
Unlike their relatives the Miami Indians, the Illinis didn't have
good relations with most of their neighbors. They fought with many tribes, including the Iroquois,
Dakota, and Winnebago.
In 1769, an Illinois Indian man who was working for the British assassinated the Ottawa leader Chief Pontiac.
The angry Ottawas and all their allies attacked the Illinis and completely defeated them. After that, many Illinois Indian people banded together with the Miami tribes. The Peoria tribe today
is still closely allied with the Miamis.
What kinds of stories do the Illini tell?
There are lots of traditional Illini legends and fairy tales. Storytelling is very important to the
Illinois Indian culture. Here are four traditional legends
and stories told by the Illini tribe.
Here's a website where you can read more about Illinois mythology.
What about Illini religion?
Spirituality and religion were important parts of Illini life, and some people continue to practice traditional beliefs today.
It is respectful to avoid imitating religious rituals for school projects since some Illini people care about them deeply.
You can read and learn about them, however. You can visit this site to learn more about
Illini customs and religion or this site about
American Indian traditions in general.
Why are some American Indian people upset by the "Chief Illiniwek" mascot of the "Fighting Illini" sports teams?
There are three main reasons. First, the Illini mascot wears Sioux Indian
clothes and accessories, which are different from actual Illini traditions. So the mascot is misrepresenting Native American culture.
Second, many Native Americans think Chief Illiniwek is disrespectful of their religion because he mimics certain Indian religious
gestures. Just like anyone else, Native Americans are sensitive about their religious beliefs. And third, many people think it is inappropriate
to use a racial costume at all. Many Native Americans feel hurt and embarrassed when a white person dresses up as an Indian chief, just as
many African-Americans feel hurt and embarrassed when a white person dresses up in blackface.
Can you recommend a good book for me to read?
If you want to know more about Illini culture and history,
two good sources for kids are Illinois Native Peoples
and The Illinois Confederacy. Older readers may find
useful information in the text Indian Villages of the Illinois Country.
You can also browse through our reading list of recommended
Native American children's stories.
Disclaimer: we are an Amazon affiliate and our website earns a commission if you buy a book through one of these links.
Most of them can also be found in a public library, though!
How do I cite your web
site in my bibliography?
You will need to ask your teacher for the format he or she wants you to use. The authors' names are Laura Redish and
Orrin Lewis and the title of our site is Native Languages of the Americas. We are a nonprofit educational organization
working to preserve and protect Native American languages and culture. You can learn more about our organization
here. Our website was first created in 1998 and last updated in
2020.
Thanks for your interest in the Illini Indian people and their language!
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Learn More About The Illini
Illini Indian Tribe
An overview of the Illini people, their language and history.
Illini Language Resources
Illini language samples, articles, and indexed links.
Illini Culture and History Directory
Related links about the Illini people past and present.
Illinois Words
Illinois Indian vocabulary lists.
Return to Native American Websites for Kids
Return to our Native Americans Culture Menu
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Pawnee county
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Illini Indian Fact Sheet